Process of obtaining alcohol and potassium compounds



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILTON C. WHITAKER OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO U. S. INDUSTRIAL ALCOHOL CO., A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

PROCESS OF OBTAINING ALCOHOL AND POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS.

No Drawing. a

'- clare that the following is-a full, clear, and

exact description thereof.

My invention relates particularly to a process of obtaining alcohol and potash by the fermentation of many different materials, although it has application especially to the fermentation of molasses.

The object of my invention is to provide an advantageous process of the above character' in which undesirable fermentations will be inhibited, while, at the same time, the potassium present in the distillery waste or slop may be recovered by the aid of the reagent which was added to bring about the inhibition of the undesirable fermentation.

Further objects of my inventionwill ap: pear from the detailed description thereof contained hereinafter.

While my invention is capable of embodiment in many different forms, for the purpose of illustration I shall describe only one form of the same hereinafter. x

.F or example, I may proceed as follows in carrying out my invention: Molasses, as for example the molasses o btained from the manufacture of cane suga r ,-may be prepared for fermentation and distillation in the usual manner, as for example by dilution with water in the proportion of 1,000 parts by weight of molasses to 5,000 parts by weight of Water. This may or'may not be acidified by the addition of one part by weight of sulfuric acid, having a strength of 66 B. Thereupon I add an amount of hydrofluosilicic acid equal to .06% by weight of the remainder of the ingredients, said acid being the commercial hydrofluosilicic acid, containing substantially 30% H SiF Thereupon the mass is allowed to ferment. The presence. of the hydrofluosilicic acid does not interfere with the roduction of the alcohol in the fermentatlon, nor is' it suflicient to bring about the precipita- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 12, 1918. Serial No. 211,624.

ork, have Patented May 3, 1921,

tion of the/potassium present, but it is present in sufficient quantity to prevent the If desired, in order to bring mentation in the most advantageous manner, the fermentation may be conducted with, the addition of a yeast which has been accustomed to the presence of hydrofluosilicic acid or hydrofluoric acid.

After the fermentation has been completed, the distillation to recover the alcohol may be carried out in the usual manner. The distillery waste or slop which remains may then be treated by adding thereto an additional quantity of the hydrofluosilic ic acid sufiicient to precipitate the potassium in the form of a salt of the hydrofluosilicic acid. For this purpose, suflicient of the commercial hydrofluosilicic acid, containing approximately 30% H, SiF may be added about the ferat this point, so that the total hydrofluo silicic acid added in the process, including that added before fermentation, may amount to six parts by weight of the 30% hydrofiuosilicic acid to one partby weight of the potassium oxid (K 0) in the distillery waste or slop. The salt thus precipi-.

tated may be freed from hydrofiuosilicic' acid by heating with sulfuric acid, the proportion of one art by weight of sulfuric acid of 66 Be. to ten parts by weight of the precipitate. The hydrofluosilicic acid Will thus be driven off, and there will remain a quantity of potassium sulfate mixed, with some calcium sulfate and or- While I have 'described my invention above in detail, I wish it to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit thereof,

ing and distilling a liquid containing po- L fluosilicic acid in an amount suflicient to in- A ficient to combinewith all of th I claim:

1. The process whichcomprises fermenting and distilling a liquid containing potassium salts having added thereto hydrofluosilicic acid in an amount suflicient to inhibit vundesirable fermentations.

2. The process which comprises fermenting and distilling a liquid containing potassium salts having added thereto hydrofluosilicic acid in a quantity insufficient to remove the potassium but sufiicient to inhibit undesirable fermentations.

3. The process which comprises fermenttassium salts having added thereto hydrohibit undesirable fermentations and then adding to the distillery waste or slop an additional quantity of hydrofluosilicic acid sufficient to precipitate potassium compounds.

4:; The process which comprises fermenting and distilling a liquid containing potassium salts having added thereto hydrofluosilicic acid in a quantity insufficient to remove the potassium but sufficient to, inhibit undesirable fermentations and then adding to the distillery waste or slop an additional quantity of'hydrofluosilicic acid sufficient to precipitate potassium compounds.

5. The rocess which comprises fermenting and istilling a liquid containing potassium salts having added thereto hydrofluosilicic acid in an amount sufficient to inhibit undesirable fermentations and then adding to the distillery waste or slop an additional quantity of'hydrofluosilicic acid sufpotassium present. v

6. The process which comprises fermenting and distilling a liquid containing potassium salts having added thereto hydrofluosilicic acid in a quantity insuflicient to remove the potassium but suflicient to inhibit undesirable fermentations and then adding to the distillery waste or slop an additional quantity of hydrofluosilicic acid sufficient to combine with all of the potassium present.

7. The process which comprises fermenting and distilling a liquid containing potassium salts having added thereto'hydrofluosilicic acid in an amount sufiicient to inhibit undesirable fermentations, then adding to the distillery waste or slop an additional quantity of hydrofluosilicic acid sufficient to preclpitate potassium compounds, and then liberating the hydrofiuosilicic acid from the precipitate by the addition of an acid.

8. The process which comprises fermenting and distilling a liquid containing potassium salts having added thereto hydrofluosilicic acid in a quantit insufficient to remove the potassium but su cient to inhibit undesirable fermentations then adding to the distillery waste or slop an additional present, and then liberating the hydrofiuosilicic acid from the addition of an acid. q

10. The process which comprises fermenting and distilling a liquid containing p0- precipitate by the tassium salts having added thereto hydrofiuosilicic acid in. a quantity insufficient to remove the potassium but sufficient to inhibit undesirable fermentations, then adding to the distillery waste or slop an additional quantity of hydrofluosilicic acid sufficient to combine with all of the potassium present, and then liberating the hydrofluosilicic acid froln the precipitate by the addition of an 301 11. The process which comprises fermenting and distilling a liquid containing potassium salts having added thereto hydrofluosilicic acid in an amount suflicient to inhibit undesirable fermentations, then adding to the distillery waste orslop an additional quantity of hydrofiuosilicic acid sufficient to precipitate potassium compounds, then liberating the hydrofiuosilicic acid from the precipitate by the addition of an acid, and then purifying the potassium salts remaining.

12. The process which comprises fermenting and distilling a liquid containing potassium salts having added thereto hydrofluosilicic acid in a quantity insuflicient to remove the potassium but suflicient to inhibit undesirable fermentations, then adding to the distillery waste or slop an additional quantity of hydrofluosilicic acid sufficient to precipitate potassium compounds, then liberating the hydrofiuosilicic acid from the precipitate by the addition of an acid, and then purifying the potassium salts remaining. i

13. The process which comprises fermenting 'and distilling a liquid containing po-' tassium salts having added thereto hydrothenpurifying the potassium salts remain- 10 fluosilicio acid in a quantit insufiicient to ing.

remove the potassium but sullcient to inhibit In testmony that I claim the foregoing I undesirable fermentations, then adding to have hereunto set my hand.

the distillery Waste or slop an additional quantity of hydrofluosilicic acid sufiicient to MILTON WHITAKER combine with all of the potash present, then Witnesses: liberating the hydrofluosilicic acid from the MINNIE ARMERDING,

precipitate by the addition of an acid, and G. R. TRAUTMAZN; 

